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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30124782">He did What?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawn_101/pseuds/Dawn_101'>Dawn_101</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender, Jurassic Park Original Trilogy (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempt at Humor, Dinosaurs, Gen, Humor, POV Aang (Avatar), POV Alan Grant (Jurassic Park), POV Ellie Sattler (Jurrassic Park), POV Katara (Avatar), POV Sokka (Avatar), POV Toph Beifong, POV Zuko (Avatar), The Author Regrets Nothing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 02:20:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,289</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30124782</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawn_101/pseuds/Dawn_101</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When the gang is approached by a mysterious John Hammond, who claims he needs their help rescuing some missing individuals from some escaped animals. Despite the vagueness,  Aang doesn't hesitate to agree because animals are his thing and volunteers on behalf of the whole gang. </p><p>How will the gang cope when they find out what it is they are actually dealing with?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aang/Katara (Avatar), The Gaang &amp; Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. John Hammond</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>John Hammond leaned onto the desk as he stared at the screen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Red lights flashed as the electric fences showed signs that they would fail around the park in a matter of hours. He had important guests, currently out in the park who were unaware of the danger they were in and John hoped it would stay that way. If they realised, they would be unlikely to endorse his park. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His grandchildren, Lex and Tim were also out there and he had no idea what would happen to them though thankfully they were not on their own. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dr Grant, Miss Sattler and Mr Malcolme and the kids were looking at the sick Triceratops with the ranger and there was an approaching storm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ray Arnald’s voice carried the urgent message that all guests should be back in the vehicle and he thanked Mr Gennaro for his patience as the lawyer sat in one of the cars.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Honestly, John had forgotten about that man and had mixed feelings about him. If any of them should become lunch, he hoped he would be it because after all, he was a bloodsucking lawyer. However at least he saw the profit potential that would be made, the other three were just concerned with the ethical side of things. He had watched the screens though, he saw their excitement once they got out into the park.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Denis was suspiciously missing and John thought that this mess could have been avoided if he had hired someone else. He might even have less grey hairs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hammond made a split second decision, It wasn't like he was hoping for such an event that required a radical solution or anything. He turned to Ray, “You know how we added that special feature on that plane of ours, I think this might be the perfect time to put it to the test.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This isn't a game, John,” Arnold warned. “We don’t even know if it works!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Robert can take care of things, he's the keeper who feeds and looks after the animals. If you don't fly me, there will be a lot of blood on </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> hands!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And Robert is just one man! What do you expect him to do? No offence but he is the least likely to be able to fix these computers and sending him out there with nothing but a rifle, that's suicide! Do I have to remind you that we already lost that contractor to the raptor.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Which is exactly my point. We need individuals that can overpower the animals without harming them and rescue my grandkids and the others. Robert can talk to them through the mic and keep them calm in the cars whilst we find their location and get them out of there, or he can find Denis. The more time you argue with me, the more time they have to figure it out!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have a point. So far your guests have done exactly what you asked,” Arnold shook his head and walked away, calling Robert and Gerry Harding, to tell them they were in charge. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang sat at the Southern air temple trying something new with his air bending. Well maybe not exactly air bending but it was something to do with pressure in the air. If he could concentrate pressure, maybe it would create a blast like combustion man but it hadn't gone to plan. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So far, he had made a tornado, made it rain and just accidentally did something to Sokka’s ear which made him fall over saying bad words. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Aang still hasn't made an explosion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you should give that a rest for a while,” Katara said, giving her brother a worried look. “We have some free time to spend together, we should relax and have some fun for a bit before things get all crazy again. It's not often that we get time with all five of us.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just want to improve, you never know when you will be facing danger again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko was laying on his back under a tree, inspecting an Leechi nut. “I'm the one who has to put up with assassination attempts but do you see me bending all the time,” he said. “Apart from that, there is no sign of any tensions between people and no confrontations.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Toph who was picking her toe nail added, “and you're the Avatar, the most powerful bender there ever was.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Aang,” Katara put a hand on his shoulder. “It's ok to be worried about the future sometimes but I don't think we need to worry about any wars anytime soon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah Aang,” Sokka agreed. “Even Cabbage man has stopped bothering us and honestly what can possibly happen at the Southern Air Temple?”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone looked at Sokka as a weird droning noise suddenly appeared and became louder and closer…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka groaned, “Aaw man.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone got up and raced outside in time to see a strange metal flying contraption land and roll to a stop on a grassy stretch not far from the cliff edge. It was a long cylindrical shape with a pointed front, wheels beneath and long arms that had propellers on them. Small windows along the side showed that there was movement inside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What's Teo’s dad been up too now?” Toph said. “It's made of metal, I like it.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don't think it's them, Toph,” Aang said. “ It's labelled as InGen, which I've never heard of.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don't like it,” Zuko said. “I smell trouble.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But it looks so fascinating,” Sokka drooled. “It looks nothing like our flying contraptions.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I repeat, I don't like it,” Zuko said as a door folded down into steps and a round man with grey hair and strange white clothes appeared. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man looked pale, like he was in shock or surprise to see them all standing there. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara laughed, “you're such a pessimist.” The stranger approached with a weird smile on his face and his eyes roamed over them.  Katara beamed, “Hello there, welcome to the Southern Air Temple!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello, I'm John Hammond and well, I will get straight to the point shall I?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go on,” Zuko took the lead, his arms folded as he eyed the man with his golden eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>John Hammond gave a nervous chuckle as he looked at Zuko, “I'm in need of assistance. Where I come from, some of my guests and my grandkids need to be rescued and there is no one else who I can ask for help. You see these creatures that have gotten loose, they are not your average rhino even tiger and if they can be … led back to their enclosures and grandkids saved, that will be really really great. However … if you love animals, then this trip will be right up your ally.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was nothing normal about these animals anyway! Just a rhino? Just a tiger? Though if Bosco the bear was possible...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Toph narrowed her eyes, which was never a good sign.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko wasn't much better, “Why do you need us?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well I really don't have time to explain! Will you help me?” John asked. “Its an emergency!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite Toph and Zuko's suspicion, Aang had a troubling image in his head. Animals like the elephant koi or sabered mooselion and the wolfbats roaming or flying around and kids screaming for help as the adults tried to fend them off with a flaming torch or a simple water whip.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang had sorted a similar problem in Ba Sing Se when he had moved the animals out and made a new zoo outside the inner wall and there had only been a few minor issues. How much harder could this be? Anyway, Mr Hamond was asking the team for help with animals which was his form of fun! Katara said they should have some fun!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We will do it!” Aang exclaimed, producing his bison whistle and blew. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko face-palmed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara frowned. “Aang. When I said fun… this wasn't what I meant.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang thought she was going to start that whole ‘it's ok to say no’ thing again but Sokka butted in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, I don't like the way you're just volunteering us all for this job,” Sokka frowned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don't you want to ride in that thing!” Aang pointed at the strange airship thing. He didn't want anyone to be left behind and they worked better with Sokka. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“... yeah,” Sokka said. “But that's not the point.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>John Hammond tempted, “I'll let you in the cockpit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Deal!” Sokka smirked, just as Appa landed beside him with a thud.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>John Hammond’s eyes gleamed as the animal landed and he made a little excited sound. “Fascinating! A form of cattle that can fly. It wears a saddle? How much can it carry?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Er, Mr Hammond?” Toph asked. “I thought you said this was urgent.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man had walked over to Appa and was stroking him, wads of fur sticking to the man's clothes, “Your absolutely right! Everyone into the plane!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka was already climbing up the steps into what the man called the plane. The other four held back, seeming a bit less enthusiastic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang chuckled, “I'm going to stick with Appa this time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can't!” John Hammond almost shouted. “This plane is the only way to our destination.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I'm not going without Appa! After all we have been through, I vowed that I would never separate from him again!” Aang folded his arms and glared at the man. As much as those people needed him, so did his best friend. The two of them were the last of their kind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look Twinkletoes,” Toph yelled from over by the back of the plane. “The perfect solution is to get Appa inside the plane!” She raised the ground like a ramp and before John could protest, mentioning that it was a passenger plane - Toph ripped the side wide open.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Clambering inside, chairs, foam and strappy things were sent flying out, “Wow, there's so much junk in here and what is this rubbery stuff?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang started to move Appa forward. Katara leaned in and whispered, “Aang I'm not sure about this!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But what's life without adventure!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She glanced towards John, “I just think it's a bit odd, and a bit too suspicious!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang didn't look at Katara, “If you don’t want to go then don’t go. It's as simple as that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang,” Katara closed her eyes and exhaled, making Aang pause. “As much as I would love to say no sometimes, I can't let you guys go off to who knows where without coming with you. Someone's got to get you out of trouble.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang sighed with relief as he pushed Appa into the newly available space and as he glanced back, Zuko was bent over with his hands on his knees.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hair covered his face so Aang couldn’t tell if he was shaking with laughter or something else. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then he saw John Hammonds face when the plane buckled under the bison's weight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He definitely wasn't laughing.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Aang really needs to be taught about peer pressure.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Flying blind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Advance apology to anyone who hates planes.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Toph couldn't believe that she had said that she had liked that metal death trap. Of course, she couldn't see or feel what was going on so she had to rely on conversation to tell her. That made it worse.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are we going to get off the ground with the cattle on board?” Mr Hamond had asked the pilot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The pilot had an attitude when he replied, “I don't know, that’s the least of our problems. I want to know if the plane will tolerate the altitude and other things since blind girl here ripped the side of our plane open like it was nothing!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's the BLIND BANDIT, idiot!” she yelled. “We need Appa and you need us, so deal with it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A door slammed shut up ahead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Toph did feel the motion of the plane start to move and build up speed. The floor rumbled and there were odd noises all around. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko supplied helpfully, “We had better get off the ground because there isn't much ground left! We are going to go over the cliff.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka screamed, “How did I let you drag me along with you Aang! If we die, I will never forgive you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I never dragged you, Sokka,” Aang shouted. Did she imagine it or did Aang's voice actually go even higher than it usually does. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!” everyone hollered as the plane plummeted down before finally, pulling up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Toph's ears went weird and popped. Oww. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang! Stop that or i'm going to boomerang you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's not me!” Aang's voice seemed panicked. “I feel it too!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Arrwww,” Appa added.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Katara sounded a bit faint, “I think I'm going to be sick.” There was a paper bag rustling and Toph tried to block out the following noise and smell. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Toph didn't feel that much better.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once the death trap had levelled out, someone moved to the front of the plane, a door opened, followed by a “What in the world do you think you're doing, </span>
  <em>
    <span>god damn it</span>
  </em>
  <span>! Stop talking! No, don't touch that!”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko asked, “So John, now that we are trapped, is this the part where you tell us exactly what we are dealing with? Or how on earth did these animals get out in the first place?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was a technical malfunction. Nothing that can't be put right again. It's time for everyone to return to their seats. The next part of our flight will be quite bumpy,” the man laughed nervously making Toph's eyes narrow. Something about this man was just completely off. He was so evasive, she couldn't wait to be on solid ground so she could see how scared he was of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka yelped as he was evicted from the cockpit and there was a sigh from where he sat down, “Zuko, I think you and the pilot will get along just fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a strange sound that reminding Toph of that fire nation drill and it was so loud and was getting higher in pitch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>BANG!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>BOOOOOMMMMMMMM!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aaaah - what is that?” she screamed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang yelled back “it's thunder, suddenly we are in a storm, a big one!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The death trap, tipped and rocked from side to side, raised and dropped as if being pushed around by giant hands or an evil airbender. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Toph tried not to scream as she gripped her seat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara spoke in her usual calm and reassuring voice, “Your doing great Toph. I'm sure this won't last much longer. Deep breaths Toph!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really, you're going to try and comfort me when you just vomited? Just land this thing!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Katara’s trying to help, Toph,” Aang spoke sharply. “Deep breaths everyone, feel your chi … Actually, does anyone else feel weird… like - like disconnected from something…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a long pause. Only broken by ragged attempts at deep breaths. Did no one else feel like they were going to die?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” both Katara and Zuko spoke, sounding surprised. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You mean because we are being thrown around in a storm right, because that is exactly what is going on,” Sokka asked as the plane dropped and tipped again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No this is different,” Aang replied quietly. “like something is missing.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Toph?” Katara asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just feel really sick ok, like if we don’t land soon, i'm going to need a paper bag too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for your support,” Katara replied dryly. “Sokka?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ I can't believe Arnald kicked me out of there. I just wanted to know how it worked because apparently it's not run on coal and instead run on something called petrol…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“... Just us then.” </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ellie had returned to the visitor centre with the ranger Mr Gerry Harding, desperately in need of a coffee after being caught in the rain and then their vehicle had gotten stuck in the mud. She was cold, wet and still troubled by the Triceratops symptoms and troubled further still by the lack of knowledge these people had when it came to their own animals. Granted, there is unlikely to be many papers on the detailed diets of animals that lived millions of years ago other than, </span>
  <em>
    <span>this animal ate fruit, this animal ate ferns, roots and insects and these ones soly eat other animals</span>
  </em>
  <span>. How was that issue to be overcome, unless fossilised plant life could be found within dino fossils which could then be -</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The place was completely empty of people. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mr Harding came in with a towel and handed it to her so she could clean up in the bathroom. When she came out, Mr Harding was still the only one there and he was staring at the walkie talkie. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What's wrong? Where is everyone else?” she asked nervously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can't get through to anyone, grab some food from the buffet table and then we are moving out,” the man said, he looked tired and was still wet and muddy himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ellie offered him the towel but he declined saying that he would sort himself out later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a crackle and a voice came through the walkie, “ Harding, I repeat Harding! Are you there, Harding?” It sounded like the keeper's voice, the man they met by the Verlocerapers enclosure. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ellie shuddered at the memory of that cow being ripped to shreds.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Gerry grabbed the device and asked what was going on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Report to central immediately, Code Red,” came the voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He bolted upright and grabbed Ellie's arm, “We have to move now!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ellie could only imagine what code red meant and it wouldn't be anything good.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They ran out and through the lab room which was also empty, down a corridor, up some metal stairs and then Gerry used a forb to get access to a room with lots of computers, the hum was quite loud. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> He let go of Ellie as he slammed the door shut, “Robert, what happened?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Alan!?” Elle asked because it was obvious that he wasn't here. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man Robert, looked at the ranger. He pointed at a screen, “The fencing has failed all round the park which means there is a good chance that some of the animals are now out of their enclosures. The main perimeter fence is still on so they are at least still in the park. John and Ray have gone to retrieve some people to help us get things under control, they shouldn't be too much longer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ellie’s heart was pounding and yelled ,“Where's Alan?!”     </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Robert pulled out a map and spread it out on a desk in front of them and traced a route, “This is the route that the tour takes. I wasn't here when the power gave up so I don't know where they are. It will just be a case of following the route until we find them.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harding pointed out that they would be further than where the triceratops was found so they could take a short cut. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Robert left to get some firearms and when he returned, Elle declared that she was going with him and they ran to a garage where a few open backed cars were.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Elle had images of raptors clawing at them as they drove and shuddered. Regardless it had to be done and they sped off to find the others. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang felt really weird and the feeling didn't go away after the plane had landed and they were released from the plane airship thing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aappa had practically busted himself out and flew out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He could fly at least and had been a remarkably good passenger despite his history with small spaces. Aang was just relieved that the storm had settled down to normal rain and wind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang tried to air bend and a gust of air did form, but it was much weaker than he was expecting. It was unsettling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seeing this, Katara and Zuko both bent and found similar results making them all look at one another with wide eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>John’s eyes gleamed as he watched. “This is the most fascinating thing that I have ever seen,” he said. “The ability to control the elements, I would love to ask you some questions, once the dinosaurs have been returned to their homes of course. If I could ask, how is it that you all came to be together?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko shook his head and glared, “ You don’t answer any of mine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow,” Toph said, interrupting loudly as she walked towards an imposing building with some steps. “There's so many trees here, and so warm and moist. This place feels huge.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re in the tropics now!” John Hammond replied. “ We spared no expense. Now come along everyone, we are short of time and we have to remember that this is a rescue mission.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, wasn't talking to you. I will never complain about Appa again.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well it was a safe way of flying before you got your hands on it!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Toph rounded on him and lifted a massive rock above the man’s head, “Say that again, I dare you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile Aang narrowed his eyes and tried to earth bend with greater success. What was this place?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara, Sokka and Zuko joined Aang’s side, “I have a feeling that we are off the map guys.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko flashed out a hand and pulled in Ray who had been walking past by his shirt, and made a small flame in his hand near the man's face making him sweat and swear. His eyes went to Zuko's scar as the Firelord demanded, “Tell us where we are, or you will have a face to match mine!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang knew that Zuko wouldn't actually do it, but he sure did sound scary and got results. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had been right. They weren't just off the map but apparently in a different world all together. Something about jumping dimensions but even though it sounded sciencey, Sokka didn't know either.  Anyway, they had ended up on an island called Isla Nubla, on a planet called Earth that was apparently much more advanced than their own world. They had been brought here to tackle the biggest, baddest animals that had ever roamed, because Hammond thought that he could contain them with miles and miles of powerful electric currents and make an attraction out of it. This had gotten a few raised eyebrows. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yep!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something before the storm had made these fencing fail which was inconvenient for a park that was yet to open to the public and needed the endorsement of the guests that was now stuck inside with those, biggest, baddest animals around. However, that they had advance warning, meant that they had time to find help.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yikes, this was meant to be a fun trip but Aang wasn't sure that it would be, especially as they were weaker than usual. Still, they couldn't turn away from people that needed help and at least the park </span>
  <em>
    <span>hadn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>opened yet because otherwise it would be full of people. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The group made their way through the front entrance where a massive skeleton hung from the ceiling, surrounded by metal structures. Aang wondered if that animal was like an ostrich-horse but with bigger teeth. Maybe a dragon would be a better comparison? Aang sighed. Nothing he thought of seemed to fit. He hoped that they were at least cute and fluffy. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>They passed through to a corridor that passed something called a lab which was dark.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they got inside a lit but dingy room filled with magic windows, they were given a booklet on the animals to help identify them. Sokka snatched it and started flicking through. Zuko was handed the map of the island.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a man with a funny moustache, sitting on one of the desks and he had stood up as they came in, “Everyone is still out in the park, sir! Robert and Ellie were here but went out again barely five minutes ago to try and find Dr Grant, Malcolm and the kids who are stuck somewhere.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks Jerry,” John leaned on the table again and hung his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang stepped forward. “We will find them for you and bring them back here. When we are done though, we need to have a chat about how we got here in the first place. I want a guarantee that we will be returned home when we are done,” Aang glanced at Zuko who nodded his approval. Toph, Sokka and Katara nodded in turn too and Aang returned his gaze to John. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a moment, John replied, “Of course you can go home, you have your whole world to get back too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Any news on Denis?” Arnold asked and sat down at a desk where he proceeded to push weird food wrappers on the floor. “Without him, we can't get everything back on line. Otherwise we will have a lot more problems.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harding spoke, “Robert looked for him before I got here, wherever he is, he's not in the building. He also said that the freezer had been accessed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>John slammed his hand down and shouted, “SHIT!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang was startled by the outburst. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Luckily Sokka was great with this kind of thing. “Look”, he said. “We will split up. Aang, Toph and Katara can find the main group. Zuko and I will find and bring back Denis.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The good news was that not all of the animals wanted to eat them as some had a plant based diet but would still be at risk of being trampled and crushed or stabbed. The gang was told ‘not to do anything stupid’ but to retrieve the guests, the grandkids and one of the technicians who had gone missing and not to kill the creatures collectively known as dinosaurs. If possible, return the animals to their enclosures and seal them in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The last request before they left was to not show the guests their bending as it could cause ‘issues’ as bending does not exist in this world and to definitely not tell them that they were from another world. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So just another average day in the life of Team Avatar...   </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Splitting up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning for language. Also If returning, some changes have been made to previous previous chapters and a bit following Ellie has been added!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ian fucking Malcolm had gone and done it hadn’t he. </p><p> </p><p>Alan had had it all under control, he hadn't moved apart from his arm and threw the flare back into the enclosure so the Tyrannosaurus Rex would chase the flare and not <em> him </em> to save two kids. Just because he hated kids didn't mean he wanted their deaths on his hands. </p><p> </p><p>It would have worked as well, the Tyrannosaurus was chasing the flare back to its enclosure until it saw another flare and a nice tasty body running along with it and now he didn't know if Ian or the Lawyer was alive or dead. He had been too busy trying to get a pair of petrified kids out of a upside down car that was sinking in mud. He did not envy traveling in their car. </p><p> </p><p>It was like the worst nightmare, being only centimetres away from massive jaws with only a cracking piece of glass in between. Probably thrilling if watching a film on tv … but not in real life. No thank you. </p><p> </p><p>He may love dinosaurs, but he loved them when they were just fossilised bones waiting to be uncovered and studied - without being in any danger. He had not expected to come face to face with real living breathing creatures from the Mesozoic era on his weekend which he only agreed to so that he could carry on digging. Then to think that today of all days a storm rolls in, the power cuts off and the Tyrannosaurus was on the rampage for something better than a little goat, chained to a post. </p><p> </p><p>Alan had managed to get the girl - Alexa? Lexi? out of the car, with the boy still inside and was in the nightmare scenario himself… with a screaming kid, which he hated. He wasn't sure whether he had her survival or his in mind when he clapped a hand over her mouth and wrapped an arm around her to stop her from moving “Don’t move, she can’t see us if we don't move!”</p><p> </p><p>Before them stood the Tyrannosaurus Rex, In all of its glory. She was massive and stepped closer, the mud squelching under the weight and her little hands were probably twitching sensing prey close by. </p><p> </p><p>All Alan could see though was the animal's head. Its small orange eyes searching for movement under the impressive ridge of brow. Its bumpy skin - not scales, wet with the rain that ran down its snout. Large nostrils flaring and snorting as it took in particles from the air, smelling his and the girls breath. </p><p>The animal snorted again, blowing off his hat and snot shot onto his face and into his barely open mouth. He couldn't believe it, he could taste T-Rex snot. Both disgusting and indeed thrilling - he was someone who licked bones when no one was looking. </p><p> </p><p>After a low grumble, the kind of low communication that elephants used over long distances, the Tyrannosaurus went back to pushing the car around and Alan and Lex narrowly missed being crushed several times as the beast pushed the car and Tim over the wall which then plummeted down into a tree. </p><p> </p><p>Granted that tree probably saved Tim's life, only to try and crush him later when Alan had climbed up to get him out. </p><p> </p><p>He was so fucking done with kids. He had one strangling him when they had to abseil down a high wall, the other one stunk of vomit and wouldn't stop complaining and talking even though making noise is just the sort of thing that attracts predators. Worst of all, he was stuck with them, on his own, without Ellie!</p><p> </p><p>He was worried about her and wanted to know she was alright. Did she know what had happened? Or was she roaming around with that ranger, oblivious to the danger and mortal peril they were all in.  </p><p> </p><p>Hopefully John Hammond had a procedure for such a thing to happen. If normal Zoos have to practice drills for animal escapes then surely a place that held dinosaurs had something at least four times better. He would probably call the military or something, live ammunition, done. All Alan had to do is find somewhere safe and wait until they were found. </p><p> </p><p>That's how they found themselves in a tree and the kids were trying to warm him up to them with jokes he had heard a hundred times before. </p><p> </p><p>When the kids had finally settled down, with him as their unlikely protector, he dug out his fossilized Velociraptor claw, the very one that he had used to scare many kids into respecting the prehistoric creatures and ran his fingers over the sharp point. For the first time, Alan felt fear as he looked at the claw, realising that the real thing was out there and he had no idea where they were. He knew they were smarter than most humans, stealthy and fast. He wasn't sure of their chances in making it out of the park alive as he threw the claw out of the tree and pondered why Hammond thought that bringing back dinosaurs that he couldn't fully control was a good idea. The scientists had not even been able to control the sex of the animals, the hatched eggs they found proved that.  </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Zuko and Sokka sat on Appa’s head as they flew, in the direction of the port which was the only way off the island, other than the plane. </p><p> </p><p>It was dark out but at least Sokka had a human torch next to him, holding a little flame in his hand. The flame flickered and flared. </p><p> </p><p>“Are you still having bending trouble?” Sokka always felt kind of awkward, asking about something he knew nothing about. He knew bending was powerful and he knew how much it was a part of someone, but he didn't know. He could only guess. </p><p> </p><p>“I guess it would be like your boomerang being out of shape,” Zuko said, his eyes unfocused. “you can throw it but it might not end up where you expected. But to answer your question, yes I am. It's like … less tame.”</p><p> </p><p>“Huh,” how much of what he had thought he was thinking had he said!!! At least Zuko was understanding. However, that was still guessing and not knowing. </p><p> </p><p>The lights from the port came into view and they set Appa down in the forest to walk in the rest of the way. It was just like the old days, hiding Appa so no one knew that the Avatar was around. Going round undetected or in disguise, only to get in trouble anyway. He wondered what that said about their chances of keeping where they were from a secret. It was a pretty stupid rule to make them stick to anyway, especially as the round guy and the bad mannered guy dragged them here to do their work for them in a completely misleading way. Surely they could deal with their own problems without involving people from another world.   </p><p> </p><p>Hidden in the dark, without Zuko’s flame, behind some wet, freaky looking plants and being dripped on by some freaky trees, Zuko and Sokka watched as a vehicle approached a checkpoint. A security guard stepped forward, looked at some kind of card and waved them through. A fence ran the perimeter of the port with looped barbed wire on top, looking all sharp and painful and Sokka wished they had Toph.   </p><p>  </p><p> </p><p>“How are we going to find out if he is here? There's no way we can bust in!” Sokka asked. </p><p> </p><p>“Go show that man that picture John gave you and ask if he had seen him,” Zuko was watching the guard intently. </p><p> </p><p>“That's too simple.”</p><p> </p><p>“So? It's the only way to get answers.” </p><p> </p><p>“Why me?”</p><p> </p><p>“Because you can talk yourself into or out of a situation, and I can’t. I will mess it up.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fine,” Sokka sighed. “Though you're right, I am pretty good at talking.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka didn't notice Zuko disappear in the other direction, as he pushed his way out of the plants and sauntered towards the guard dressed all in black bulky clothes, like he belonged there, in his blue water tribe clothes. </p><p> </p><p>“Good evening fine sir, terrible weather earlier wasn't it. I am so glad it has stopped raining, I mean, I'm soaked.”  </p><p> </p><p>The man turned towards him, his face twisted into a grimace. He just looked past him to the bushes where he had come from. Hm. Maybe he should have approached from the road. </p><p> </p><p>“Have you seen this fat man,” Sokka flashed the picture out of a man that really was quite fat and had glasses on his face. “He may have tried to board a ship in the last few hours.”  </p><p> </p><p>The man glanced at the picture, “No. Now beat it kid!” </p><p> </p><p>“Hey! I will have you know that I'm 16 years old.  Are you sure you haven't seen him?” He pushed the picture closer to the man's face.”</p><p> </p><p>“If you don't piss off then I’m calling security.”     </p><p> </p><p>Who says piss off seriously. He wasn't going to relieve himself in front of some stranger. It would be better to ignore him than to actually do it just because someone told him too. “Wow, the security guard has security. That's really impressive. What do you call yourselves, The Island Squad? Tropical Thunder Team? What do you use, boomerangs, clubs, swords, fancy fans. I used to have a sword that I made myself from a fallen comet and then I was taught by a master sword fighter how to stand and balance and fight. Then I was like, chop, slice, stab, stab, until I lost it, I lost my space sword. I really miss my space sword!  But I still have my trusty Boomerang!”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka whipped his pride and joy out of its pouch to show the man his boney baby, made from the tusk of a saber-squid.</p><p> </p><p>He screamed when it was snached out of his hand and thrown back into the forest and it didn't come back. Without control of his beloved boomerang, Sokka thought he might understand what Zuko said before. </p><p> </p><p>He ran into the bushes, after his boney baby. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harding drove them out through the park in one of the ground vehicles. It bounced up and down along the road and threw Katara and the others up into the air. Toph growled and thumped the bed of the open backed truck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly the road smoothed out and so did their ride. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the…” Gerry Harding said. Katara wondered what was with all of these double names. As far as she knew in their world, only the nobles had family names but here, everyone had two names. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No one else said anything. They were really unsure of who they could tell and who they couldn't tell. Katara wondered if the man found it weird that he was driving out a bunch of kids to deal with dinosaurs - whatever they are. And if she was honest with herself, she wasn't happy that her bending had gone weird but Toph didn't seem affected at all. What was with that?</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Aang had first mentioned it on the plane, she was scared that the disconnectedness would mean that she wouldn't be able to feel her element at all or control it. Luckily that hadn't been the case but she couldn't say that it was easy either. It was like the water didn't have its own will. Like she had to work harder to get the same results as she would normally get. The water could slip too, If she lost concentration. The word she would use to describe it would be messy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was just like when she had first started out in that way when she didn't fully understand her element. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The car skidded to a stop next to another two cars, one of which was on some sort of track. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the three of them got out, Aang told Harding to get out of there and that they would take it from here. The car sped off, he didn't need telling twice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a screeching sound and Katara looked up to see a thick cable that was broken and the brackets that held them creaked and screeched as they moved around. The fence was tall and must have been keeping a very big animal in. She swallowed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Whatever it was, it wasn't contained anymore. There were signs that there had been another vehicle, there were scrape marks in the mud leading over the edge of a cliff and there were scraps of metal laying around, and a tire. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow,” Aang shouted. “Look at the size of this ostrich horse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a massive footprint with three toes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh Aang, I'm not sure it is an ostrich horse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Do you think I could ride it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you have to ask, you probably already know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right. I will remember not to ask next time then.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That wasn't what I meant!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” a male voice sounded from behind them. “What are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them yelled and spun around, to find Toph standing by the back of the other vehicle. Toph shrugged. “Looking for a bunch of people to save them from mortal peril.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But you are a kid and - and, are you blind?” There was a man laying in the back squinting at Toph, his shirt torn open and then Katara saw the blood. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gasping, she raced over to him to see he had tied leather around his leg. He had cuts and bruises all over. The man was obviously in pain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara reached for her water pouch, popped open the lid - but then stopped herself and dropped her hands. She couldn't heal him without him knowing about what she could do. He didn't look like he was going to die and well it just wasn't worth the risk. She popped the lid back on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She caught him staring at her with his dark eyes and black hair, he was surprisingly handsome and she flushed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you more of Hammonds kids? I thought he only had two.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang came to stand next to her and Aang asked, “Where are the others?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man shook his head, as if he was really confused, “They went over the wall. The tyrannosaur pushed the other car over the wall, I was knocked out at the time but when I woke up, everyone was gone. The lawyer was found in several pieces, so don't waste your time looking for him. Ellie should be back soon, they went to check it out.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded. “Katara, stay here with him. Me and Toph will look for the others,” and without another word, ran and leapt over the edge and disappeared with Toph on his heels. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katars sighed. Now they really had been split up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man stared after them then looked at Katara in shock. “They just jumped over the side of a cliff… are they crazy,” he said bewildered and trying to get up. “I have to save them!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh no you don’t,” she pushed him back down. “We are here to save you, not the other way around. They just like cutting corners. Can I ask what did this to you?”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Unlucky</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Stupid guard thinking he can just take my boomerang and throw it and now I can’t find it,” Sokka muttered as he rummaged through the leaf litter. “This place stinks of plants and wetness like that swamp. All the creepy dreams I have about that place and now I'm in a super creepy place.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka bolted upright as he heard a rustling sound from the bushes a little way away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Zuko?” He hadn't seen that bossy prince since he had told him to go and see that guard, and he had been searching for his boney baby for at least ten minutes, which is too long for his comfort. Zuko had not come to find him yet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Surely he had been watching from their hiding place?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He felt like he was being watched. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So where was Zuko? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He saw some plants move this time, and it came with a high shrill. Sokka felt sweat form on his forehead and he tensed.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Zuko, I am not in the mood for games, especially not at my expense.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka reached for his club and ducked behind a thick looking tree. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Peering round, he caught movement, like a whip. A slither through the darkness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka pulled himself back as he heard the noise again and it was definitely not Zuko. There was movement coming from behind his hiding place. The snapping of twigs and a trilling sound.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka took a deep breath and jumped out with his club raised. He could do with a snack.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before him stood a creature at waist height. It stood on two legs and had small front hands with claws. Its head was small but sat on a long stripy neck. Its eyes stared at Sokka with a look of confusion. Sokka stared right back at it, thinking it looked like - like a repulsive arctic hen.  However when it made a cawing sound, it opened its mouth to reveal a row of sharp teeth and opened flaps around its head which rattled and revealed bright colours. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was also covered in blood. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka yelled and brought the club down hard and the creature went down, giving Sokka the chance to run, screaming as he went.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He ran through the mud, slipping and sliding but what mattered was that he got away from that thing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He got caught in some branches and vines and fought to free himself as he heard trilling from behind. He ran and ran towards where Appa was, only to be cut off by the danger hen. It moved fast! </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Charging at him, Sokka dove out of the way and swung the club only to be met with some kind of gunk that narrowly missed his eyes. It hit his arm and face and neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It burned like fire and Sokka fell down screaming in pain. He tried to wipe it off but it just smeared and clung to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sokka!” he heard a yell and dared to look as he tried to crawl away from that creature. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko was running straight at him but he wasn't quite quick enough.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The creature leaped forward and bit Sokka’s trailing leg and he cried out. Twisting, Sokka managed to club the meat eating monster away and Zuko took it from there as Sokka collapsed and lay unmoving.   </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko blasted the creature with wild flames, everything he had, narrowly missing Sokka. They sparked and flared as they surged forward under Zuko's will alone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The creature jumped at Zuko only to find itself trapped in a ring of fire and it hissed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Appa, having heard the commotion charged through the trees and head butted the creature sending it flying. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That gave Zuko the time to grab Sokka's limp body and hall him up into his arms and climb up Appa’s tail. As Zuko set him down, he saw Sokka was gasping and he had boils popping up all over his face and arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko almost puked. Having experienced having half his face burnt off, knew how painful that must be and urged Appa to fly back and find Katara. Zuko grabbed some rope from the saddle and leapt down from the bison and ran back towards the dinosaur, picking up Sokka's fallen club as he went. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Appa flew, thankfully understanding him and hoping that Sokka would make it. His leg had been a mess but his face, agni his face...</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He would have to find a way to tie the creature up and get it back to the park. He assumed that it was from the park. This world was a dangerous place to live if these animals roamed freely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko remembered the moment flames burned his own face, searing the skin, making boils and blisters appear. The weeks and months of wearing bandages, and wrappings and treatment. The soreness and the long lasting damage to his ear and to his eye. It wasn't something he wanted to remember, it was just there, lurking under every thought and every action that he ever made since, accompanied by a pair of molten eyes.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now it was fresh in his mind and it filled him with self hate and fear. He had watched someone else get hurt. He had not been fast enough to help his friend. What would happen if he didn’t make it? How could Aang and Toph stand to be near him? And Katara… She was Sokka's brother, she would surely hate him. They all would. His nation and the world. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko found the animal at the base of a tree, laying still. Movement in the animal's chest could be seen so it was still alive. He got to work and tied the snout, arms and legs together so it couldn't move and flung it over his shoulder.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At Least he had stopped the thing from eating Sokka, that was one positive at least.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>How could something so small cause so much damage?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko could only hope that all the other animals were smaller than this one. </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Alarming Encounters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Do you feel that?” the man - Ian asked Katara as she sat next to him, applying pressure to his wound like a non bender would. She felt pathetic. How did anyone get better without healing abilities? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara paused and waited. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a weird buzz, and when she looked to a nearby puddle, ripples bounced on the surface. It was like an earth tremor.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What is that?” she asked him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ian smiled at her. “One of those animals you told me you was going to protect me from,” he said in a way that suggested he didn't think she could do it. She narrowed her eyes. Without showing him what she could do with bending, he was probably right. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She would love nothing better than to wipe that smirk off his attractive face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a scream and a man and a woman came running out of the trees followed by - by a giant animal that chased after them!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ian smiled more widely, showing teeth, “Katara, welcome to Jurassic Park. May I introduce you to the T-Rex!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Far more terrifying than those canyon crawlers, this thing stomped forward on two legs and the ground pulsed with each step. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The animal leaned forward as it roared, forcing Katara to cover her ears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two people jumped in, barley glancing at them in the back and started to drive. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This seemed to aggravate the animal and it sped up, showing its huge teeth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara gritted her teeth as the dinosaur gained speed. How was she meant to deal with this when she was with these people? And yet, she couldn't just jump out and leave them either. What about Aang and Toph who were left behind. She would just have to trust them to know what to do.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She sort out the water in the overhanging branches and tried to bend them down without too much arm motion. A few snagged on the T-Rex’s head but not much more happened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why aren't you doing anything?” Ian asked, annoyed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She turned to yell, “Why don't you do something!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The moment the two of them turned back they both yelled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The T-Rex was right there! </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ian and Katara scooched backwards as the animal charged up the side and used its head to bash into the car. Katara heard the woman in the front yell an unlady like word, repeatedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With its jaws inches from her face, Katara had had enough.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There were small beads of water that sat on the side next to her and she subtly fired them towards the creature's eye with enough force to make it flinch away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara scooted to the edge so she could freeze the ground where the dinosaur placed its foot and it slipped and crashed to the ground, giving them the time to get away.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara slid back down and dared not look at Ian’s expression in case he saw what she did. Instead she looked as the sun rose over the horizon casting the trees as black silhouettes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She wondered how the others were doing, Aang and Toph, had they found the others yet? Sokka and Zuko, were they ok? She had a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was wrong, other than her bending issues. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Even though she had managed to do something, it had been a tenth of what she had wanted. She was exhausted. Even the little she had tried had taken all her energy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Why was bending so hard here?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When the vehicle pulled to a stop outside the welcome centre, Ian thought to do introductions, “Ellie, Robert, I would like you to meet Katara who is apparently here to save us.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For the first time the Woman and man turned around and were taken back by her appearance… or her appearance. She couldn't help but notice how different she was from them all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She held her head high however and made her voice friendly, “Nice to meet you.” </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The blond woman frowned at her, “but you're a child.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was little Katara hated more than being told that she was a child. Already irritated, and tired from traveling and being up all night, and having bending issues and worrying about everyone, Katara glared at the woman. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara stood up stiffly, her hands clenching. She wanted to show them what she was capable of. Show them all the power of the southern water tribe. Show them that she was no child. Her eyes must have communicated something as the others actually shrank away from her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ian spoke, “May god have mercy on our souls!”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What did you just say?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“May god have mercy on our souls,” Ian repeated with a grin, but she couldn't tell if he was mocking her or not. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“God?” Katara had just been reminded how different this place was. She had to reel in her temper. This was no place to lose control, she reminded herself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ellie saw her obvious confusion when Ian laughed and scolded Ian, “She might not know about god, Ian! It's obvious that she's not from around here!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara panicked, “I don't know what you're talking about!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ellie continued as if she wasn't even there, as they spoke about her. “She looks Inuit like to me, Ian.” Ellie finally turned to her, “are you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don't know what Inuit means,” she admitted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Inuit are people who have a … special way of life and often use whatever they can from their environment to survive, like animals for food and their hides to make things,” Ellie pointed at her water pouch. “Usually they live in arctic conditions, such as high up in Canada.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well I guess that does sound like my tribe,” she said cautiously. Canada?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ian narrowed his eyes, “Inuits rarely leave their tribe, let alone the arctic, but you speak fluent English like it's nothing. Why would you know English?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It seemed that the gaang were not the only ones seeking questions. If they kept probing, she would surely slip up in what she said. Anyway Katara didn't know any other language! No one knew anything other than the language they spoke, so what were they even talking about?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She laughed and shrugged, “My language is your language! That's what matters right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now all three of them had narrowed their eyes at her. What was their problem? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She suddenly changed the subject, “You need your leg and chest looked at!” Without bending, she silently added. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She would not reveal any more about herself, her bending or her world. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It was at that moment that a large shadow passed over and Appa crashed to the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara didn't see the shock on the others' faces at the sight of a landing, flying bison. Her focus was on Appa who called to her, looking distressed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was no one on his head, but his head was covered in dirt and soot and something red. Soot meant fire. Fire meant Zuko! </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She scrambled her way up onto Appa and screamed as she saw not Zuko, but her brother!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Laying unmoving, and far too quiet, he had blood and blisters all over his face and arms and a massive chunk taken out of his leg. Blood was all over the saddle.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No! No! No!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara threw herself at him, water already at her hands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was then that she saw his chest rise and fall. This close, she could hear his quiet gasps.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Working as fast and carefully as she could, she washed the mucous off from her brother's swollen face and pressed clean water to his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's ok, It's going to be ok,” she said sniffing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She growled as the water misbehaved but she persevered, trying to heal his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka took a deep breath and yelled, “Oh, wow, Awww.” That was more like it.   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka’s body started to relax as the pain on his face eased, but then his bloody arms started scrabbling at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop it, I'm trying to heal you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka knocked her arm, making her lose control of the water. Sokka gasped, “Katara!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara reshaped the water and moved it to his ravaged leg and snapped, “No Sokka, you don't get to ‘Katara’ me when I'm trying to heal you. What have you been doing to get yourself into this mess! I thought you and Zuko were picking someone up not being ravaged by a pack of canyon crawlers! What is that slime, It burned your face! Do you have any idea how much you scared me! For a moment I thought you was dead!” she froze as she saw Sokka's expression. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was sort of worried, shocked and full of love at the same time. He lifted his arm though and pointed over her shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He gasped, “people!” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Questions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Good morning, Twinkle Toes,” Toph said brightly as she bent their overnight shelter into the ground and stretched.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang groaned and rubbed his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong with you?” Toph asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang sighed as he got to his feet. It would have been a more comfortable night if they had sleeping bags, or had spent the night up a tree, but Toph said that she would know if anything was coming and refused to leave the ground. “I didn't sleep well, Toph. I was worried about the others, worried about this weird feeling I have been having that is affecting my bending and well, I am sad that we are not all out here together. I thought it would be fun but it's kinda not. No offence to you Toph,” he added before she got the wrong idea. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She just shrugged and started walking away from him, “I'm picking the holiday next time ok?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yeah, Aang didn't think anyone was enjoying this trip. He still remembered that he had sort of tricked the others into coming with him. He had thought it would be fun but all that had happened was a disastrous plane ride, and the gang having to split up to find people scattered through the park. At least Ian had been found and had katara to keep him safe. That didn't change that the others hadn't wanted to go and he tricked them. On the plus side, Mr Hammond had tricked him so it wasn't entirely his fault. In fact it wasn't really his fault at all, right? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sun was yet to rise but the weather was calm, a relief after all that heavy rain. Aang followed after Toph, “Where are you going?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I sense a lot of vibrations in that direction,” Toph pointed. “ we should check it out whilst we are close by.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Aang agreed and rummaged in his pockets as he caught up with Toph. He pulled out the map that he had pinched from Sokka, when he decided Sokka didn't need it. Sokka still had the list of animals in the park though … Monkeyfeathers!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The island they were on was pretty big but it really didn't help that he didn't really know where they were. Usually it was Sokka that had the map, and if not him, Zuko and if not Zuko, Katara. What was with that? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey Toph, do you know where we are?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I hope you're not expecting me to read that,” Toph waved her hand in front of her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Er…” Aang looked down at the map. Right. “Can you sense any landmarks nearby? Apparently there are disks with skulls on them scattered around the park… oh hold on, those are linked with the symbols on the side. Oh right. The symbols on the side show the animal and the disks on the map show the location… great that means that we will know where the animals are meant to be i guess…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Toph just sighed, “Remind me to ask Sokka to give you map reading lessons.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can read a map!” he argued. “These maps look totally different to ours so that's got to count for something! … It's so complicated!” Aang grinned, maybe that last bit wasn't entirely true but toph wouldn't know that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well then clever boy,” she said, throwing a rock which he dodged. “you will have no problem getting out of this place or pinpointing our exact location then without my help.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hm. Human lie detector alert. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m a nomad though, maps don't really apply to us cause we just wonder and see what we find as we go. You should ask Sokka or Katara, they will tell you that I navigated from the South Pole to Kyoshi Island without a map!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“PPhhh. That's not going to help us find the people we are meant to be rescuing, Aang. The animals are roaming around all over the place and there are some very big animals up ahead.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang stuck out his tongue. Lessons wouldn’t help either as Sokka wasn't even with them when he needed the lesson.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang gasped as he looked up from the map and was breathless for the first time in 112 years! With an idea forming in his mind, he smiled wider, “They are big!”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>“YEEAAAHHHH!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan bolted upright and rubbed his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His ears and his eyes were playing tricks on him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Recent events were causing him to have vivid and illogical dreams.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was losing his mind from spending far too much time with kids.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Woooo!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nope. There was a kid fucking sliding down a Brachiosaurus body, screaming and laughing. How did the kid even get up there?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tim and Lex woke with all the noise too and looked just as confused as he felt as the kid scurried back up to the top of the dinosaur's head, faster than should be humanly possible. The boy shouted something down to the ground, Alan gritted his teeth. Didn’t this kid have any respect for animals. Fuck. Didn't this kid know what sort of danger he was in. Why was the animal letting some kid run up and down its body like some sort of mite? Why was this kid even here? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who Is that?” Tim asked. Someone that needed to be taught a valuable lesson. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan shook his head, “Come on!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He helped the two kids out of the tree and quickly marched them towards the Brachiosaurus before realising that he couldn't take the kids he already had into further danger, nore could he leave them on their own, where they could be in danger… </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was half tempted to put them back up the tree but decided against it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The three of them emerged on the bank of the river and all three looked on in astonishment, as the boy sat on top of one of the animals head. It was worse because the animal still didn't care. How big were the parasites back in the day if a boy was nothing!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can't believe what I am seeing!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your guess is better than mine,” said a completely new voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan closed his eyes. Slowly he turned to look beside him and had to drop his gaze considerably, in order to see who had spoken.   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A small girl probably no older than Tim, had appeared beside him as if he was some kind of magnet for kids that just happen to be without adult supervision on the world's most dangerous island. It was some kind of joke, there was no other explanation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She continued to stare straight ahead as if she didn't really care if he replied. She didn't seem to care that much that she had stumbled across an adult and two other kids either. Just kept staring forward… silently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Quit staring, you're grossing me out!” she yelled loudly making Alan step backwards. He should have known that he would be faced with another loud mouth. The girl never turned her head and all he could see was her strange green clothes, her small nose and her black hair. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shushed her and hissed “Quit shouting or you will attract the predators!”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nothing I can't handle,” she said casually and eerily still.   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just then the boy yelled as he slid down the dinosaur, ran and then leaped over the river in one bound. That had to be at least 8 meters! </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Great, Toph found you!” the boy said when he landed without even a sound. “Did you ride the long necked eelhound? It's really fun!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s a brachiosaurus,” Alan said in a barely controlled voice. Fun was sitting at home watching reruns of Murder She Wrote. Fun was a day when kids were neither seen or heard. Fun was digging up bones that didn't suddenly start trying to eat the diggers.  He wanted to shake the kid and scare him silly. “You're just lucky that </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>found </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> before the other dinosaurs do. They will rip you to shreds, limb from limb and feast on your brain.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The bald boy was unaffected by this. “Yeah yeah, they are the biggest creatures that roam the earth. Ray Arnald already told me that!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan was speechless. Never had he met such,  such - “Who?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl just thumped the boy's shoulder, “Can we move already?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lexie laughed, “See Tim, I'm not the only one who hits their younger brother.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The other two kids spoke in unison, “ We are not related!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Lex spoke. “Im Lexie, by the way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Quite jabbering Aang and MOVE!” shouted Toph as she shoved the boy along. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes Sifu Toph,” he said then after a moment, dug his heels in. “Is this a test?… like was I meant to be immovable like a rock?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, this is a ‘You better move if you want to live’ sort of thing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What the … ? Alan had to admit, there was something about Toph that was almost likable. Alan guided the other two kids along, wondering what the world had come to and wondered when this nightmare would end. “There are not any more of you kids right. There's no more kids roaming around a dinosaur infested park unattended?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang beamed, “No, but there are three teenagers, Katara, Sokka and Zuko!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>These are all strange names. Alan sighed, “Where are they?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well Zuko and Sokka went to pick up some person who messed with the magic windows, and we left Katara with that Ian guy and some lady,” Aang answered.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Elle? Why did it sound like they were meant to be heroes? Alan sighed, their heroic imagination would get them killed. What were they, 12 - 13? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You mean computers?” Lex asked. “I love computers, you can do all sorts of things with them once you know how.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Er… so you can control them… like a pet? Or a machine? Or energy bending?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So they didn’t even seem to know what computers were… not that</span>
  <em>
    <span> he</span>
  </em>
  <span> wanted anything to do with them either. Still the younger generation was obsessed with them, but not these kids apparently. Energy bending was an odd saying. Surely he could just say powered by electricity. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lex climbed over a log and then helped Tim over. “They are machines that run on electricity, obviously,” she rolled her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“... like lightning!” Aang shouted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At that, everyone stopped to look at Aang and the moments stretched on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Toph grabbed him and pulled him in and spoke to him in a sharp tone but too quiet for Alan's ears to pick up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy winced. “Uh, this is awful,” he shouted at Toph. “How are we meant to know what not to say before we say it!”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Usually, one thinks. Now what on earth would two youngsters want to hide? Why did Alan have so many questions? They were kids! He decided to ask a logical question, “What are you even doing here?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well we were asked to come here to deal with a problem but Hamond left out a lot of details,” Toph said thoughtfully.  She turned so she could walk backwards, still stepping over or around things and he realised that she was barefoot. Alan also saw her eyes for the first time and froze. So did Lex and Tim. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl's eyes were a pale milky blue. Alan knew that there was no way that she could possibly see out of those eyes and yet what other option was there? She was navigating the environment with precision and with more confidence than even he could. He wanted to ask but instead said “Well, I was meant to be on a relaxing vacation. My normal job is digging up dinosaur bones but Elle and I were offered … a substantial payment to visit this park. John left out the details where he had used fossilized or preserved DNA in order to create living dinosaurs.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang and Toph both came to a standstill and in a blink of an eye, Aang was in front of him with a weird gust of wind. His face was more serious than he had ever seen him, “ What do you mean, creating living dinosaurs?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan explained more about his work whilst all the kids listened with interest. He told them how digging up bones of dead animals can help to determine what they were, how they lived, what era they were from and even how they died. He then went on to explain about the film that he had watched, explaining how the blood of dinosaurs was preserved in blood drinking parasites. The blood was extracted and used to create embryos which then hatched, grew and unknowingly to the creator, changed sex to enable them to breed. It's a fascinating science but riddled with ethical and practical problems.     </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang stepped back and looked at his tattooed hands, “So Hammond managed to bring back the dead?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, he made new life with the blood of individuals, but the building blocks were not complete and so the DNA strands had to be adapted. In this case, they used frog DNA to fill in the gaps which means the dinosaurs created are not actually the same as the real thing. They would be mutated animals which may look or act differently. Even their organs may be different and who knows how that will affect the animals that were made in the long run.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t understand,” Toph frowned. “why would you even need to do that? Aren't they just like… running around all over the place anyway?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something was seriously wrong. How did anyone not know that dinosaurs were extinct? Alan opened his mouth only to close it again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tim spoke up, “ Em, didn't you ever learn about dinosaurs at school or from watching TV? I had to do two projects on them. They were wiped out millions of years ago though there's different ideas about how it happened. The most common is that they were wiped out by a comet.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wiped out by a comet,” the boy repeated in an almost dead voice. His eyes had gone really big as he gaped at Tim and then he shifted and looked down at his feet. “Why did they have to die?” his voice cracked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Toph walked up to Aang and put a gentle hand on his shoulder, “Aang …”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan was surprised how the boy was acting. It wasn't like it was done on purpose and spoke, “Hey, it was a natural disaster and well not all of them went extinct. Some of them changed into modern day birds so just because they are not the same doesn't mean that history was completely lost. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang didn’t seem to hear him though.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My people Toph, my people were made extinct.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well I hope Sozin died in agony, I don't care if you disagree,”Toph said bitterly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan swallowed. He had a feeling that the kids were not talking about dinosaurs anymore.  Were these kids talking about a natural disaster or were they saying that there was a genocide that he didnt know about? The kids had a totally different feeling about them now. Like they had known terrible pain and loss regardless of the cause. He hadn't heard of any meteorites that had collided with the earth to wipe out a population, and it was no joking matter. That left genocide then.   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Which left the comet… out of context. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan crouched down to Aang and toph’s level, “i'm so sincerely sorry for your loss.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For a moment Alan thought he saw a flash of white from the boy's eyes and weird arrows but it was gone before he could blink. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang stood up tall, his eyes no longer dead but unreadable. “Thank you for your concern but those days are over. The world is one family now and under my watch, it will never break apart again!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan stood up gaping. Suddenly the boy seemed unlike a boy at all but like a wise old man instead. Wherever these people were from, it was obviously very different. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I'm going to lead you out of this park and no one is going to die!” The boy turned and walked away from them, and everyone else filed in after him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan couldn't help but wonder what the boy was thinking and notice he had a new resolve. He had said that his people had been made extinct but he was also now aware that blood could be used to make new life! Had he connected the dots? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What was Alan meant to do about that? Could he break a kids heart?</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Mishaps and lies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Alan bloody well hoped no one was going to die as he followed the kids though the park. They were moving a lot quicker through the park now and the strange bald kid - Aang seemed to be taking the role of guide seriously. He walked at a fast pace and only stopped a few times to look at something briefly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan found himself wanting to ask these kids questions but had no idea how to go about it without being insensitive or rude. How do you ask about where they came from and genocide? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan had always prided himself at being quite observant and a curious person. He had a strong passion for history and other cultures and yet these two didn't quite fit into any particular category let alone a time period! Nothing was off the table! Luckily Lex and Tim were also curious and were asking a lot of the questions that adults don't think they can ask and yet are expected of kids to ask. He used these kid’s questions to add to his private study.     </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you dressed like that?” Tim started. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m … well a nomad and this kind of signifies that eer … I'm a nomad?” He looked for guidance from his friend. She didn't say anything. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tim was not impressed with this answer, “But what kind of nomad are you? There are nomads that live in cold tundra and herd caribou or eat seals and whales or nomads that live in the desert herding cattle and do all sorts of tribal dances, the ones that live in the amazon, cut off from the rest of the world and those that go round stealing stuff to sell and live in caravans. You look like a monk with your bald head, what is your arrow for?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan had to stop himself from laughing. He didn't think anyone would admit to stealing stuff. He was also impressed with Tims knowledge.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Toph let out a burst of laughter. “Oh, he dances alright. Don’t you Twinkle Toes?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang turned on her, “Well you're the one that stole from those games!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not stealing if they cheat. I was hustling the hustlers and please, don’t tell me you didn't enjoy it.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang threw up his hands and yelled, “Fine it was fun and we got some money so we could afford some food better than Sokka's nuts that turned out to be rocks! But then you and Katara got yourselves into trouble and you only got out because of Katara's bending” Aang gasped and clapped his hands over his mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was that word again. Bending, and this time he definitely wasn't meant to say it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, she just bent her way out of those bars didn’t she,” Toph added dryly. “Being so flexible and all.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang sighed and then grinned at her, “Good one!” He then turned to Tim, “Well I travel all over the world so can’t claim to be any particular type but I don't keep animals for any other reason than companionship. I'm a vegetarian. I had Appa since I was a boy and Momo, well not quite as long but it's all still good and we get along perfectly.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If he wasn't a boy now, when was he?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Im vegetarian too,” Lexi said. “What about you parents?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What about them?” Aang asked. “ I didn't know my parents. I was raised by monks so I wouldn't have as many earthly attachments, but all air nomads were vegetarian if that's what you were asking. As for the tattoos, They symbolise that I have become a master in - in spirituality.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What about you Toph? I'm assuming you were the same?” Alan asked. He couldn't see if she had an arrow under all that hair. It was a very different way of life, and strange but fascinating. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No way!” Toph yelled. “Do I really seem like I was raised like Twinkle toes! I love meat! I was raised in a big fancy house in a town with two of the most controlling parents ever! I wasn't allowed to do this because I might walk into something or fall over and I couldn't go out because,” - she slapped both hands to her cheeks - “what if someone saw me! What if they tried to take advantage of their </span>
  <em>
    <span>sweet, helpless little girl!!”</span>
  </em>
  <span>  Toph’s face was all red and she was breathing hard. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan raised his hands in peace, “Ok then, I apologies. You seem very independent to me.” He meant it as well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, I didn't become the greatest champion in the world by being what my parents wanted me to be,” She kicked a stray rock and it rocketed off, out of sight.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wondered, “Greatest champion in what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He caught Aang's quick glance in her direction as she laughed maniacally, “Fighting!”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What!” Alan and Lex shouted at the same time Tim shouted “Cool!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But you're blind!” Alan </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>he was pointing out the obvious but felt like he was missing something really big and it was becoming really frustrating. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So? Just because I don't see the way you guys do doesn't make me helpless. I thought you understood that.” The girl pointed her finger at him and glared at him. She was definitely intimidating, all 3 feet of her and her pale eyes bored into him.   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I’m sure he does Toph,” Aang said, trying to come to the rescue. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan though still wanted answers, serious ones. “I get that you're not helpless, what I don’t get is the how?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes. How can you navigate and become a ‘fighting champion’ when you can't see with your eyes,” he said, trying hard to control himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Again, Aang slid his eyes over to his friend as if trying to guess what she was going to say at a direct question. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She just stopped and looked down at her feet and sighed. “The truth is that you are right,” she said quietly. “I am completely blind and have been since birth. I was pretty helpless at first but then I found a way to make sense of the world. You see I don't see the way you do, I use an entirely different sense all together.” She stepped closer and gestured for him to crouch down and he did, joined by Tim and Lex. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She licked her lips and dug her feet in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” she screamed in their faces at the top of her lungs, scaring the three of them onto their backs. “There, now I got a pretty good look at your petrified faces.”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly Toph and Aang were laughing their heads off and rolling around in the dirt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tim hesitantly started laughing, “Echolocation, right? That's funny...”    </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That left Lex and Alan staring at them. “That doesn't explain anything!” Alan muttered under his breath. He knew that the kid shouted a lot but not enough to see the world in that much detail. It would have had to have been constant, which she had not been.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>RRRRAAAWWWW</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone froze, before Aang’s face lit up. “Wow, That sounds big. I'm going to ride it!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy Jumped forward only for Alan to catch him by the scruff of his clothes, “No! You can't ride the T-Rex.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine, I will lead you out of the park safely,” he said sadly.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, young heroes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And then I will come back and ride the T-Rex!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alan palm slapped his forehead and didn’t let go of the kid. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. High temper</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Wohoo, now lets have some fun!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Katara heaved her brother through the building to the room with computers in before sitting him down on a chair and yelled to no one in particular, “Is there any more water? Mines spent.” She fell to the floor next to her brother and he patted her head in thanks.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man driving the car Gerry Harding and Elle brought in Ian and he was groaning and complaining. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He took one look at Katara and glared at her, “Hey John can I put in a complaint for negligence and failure to provide medical services from your staff. I am in a far worse condition than </span>
  <em>
    <span>him </span>
  </em>
  <span>and yet she didn't even consider using her magic water on me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara stiffened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka sat up sharply and pointed at him, “Not magic water, it is called ‘water bending’. Katara half patted his arm and half held him down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>John though just chucked, “No you can’t Ian, Katara and her companions are not members of staff and she had every right to do what she did. What had taken a chunk out of her brother was a Dilophosaurus and it is deadly. In comparison you just got a fright and a puncture wound, hardly serious.”   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had been put on a table to lay down but sat up, “I would say it's serious John. Is that something you want on the tour for your paying guests to experience. Being chased through the park and given a puncture wound as a souvenir? Donald Gernero wasn't so lucky, he lost his life whilst sitting on a toilet seat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s unfortunate,” John handed out water for both drinking and for Katara to bend.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So you don't have anything else to say? Other than ‘that's unfortunate!’” Ian asked. “That still doesn’t explain the magical powers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well you’ve heard the term ‘mutant’ I presume.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara coiled water around her wrist, “What did you just call me?!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>John turned away from all of them, “What we need to do is get the power back up so when the others manage to get the animals back into their enclosures the power can be switched back on. Rey, how are we doing at that?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rey Arnald was sitting at one of the computers and typing away at it. He sighed, some sort of smoking stick in his mouth, “Not good. There are about three billion code lines and any one of them could be what caused the problem. Either we find Denis who will likely know or we have to find another way.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara didn’t really know what they were all talking about and so focused her attention on Sokka and healing him, “Tell me what happened,” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka told her how he and Zuko had flown to the port but hadn’t found who they were looking for and then when he had been separated, the creature chased him and spat a burning gunk at him and then tried to eat his leg. He thought he was done for until Zuko showed up and blasted it away and got him on Aapa. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That means Zuko is still out there,” Katara said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka just chuckled,“If anyone can survive it’s him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bang.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The metal door to the room slammed into the wall and there stood Zuko with a wriggling thing slung over one shoulder. He was covered in mud and blood but other than that, he was in one piece. From where Katara sat, he looked really angry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room was in chaos with everyone shouting at Zuko!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka screamed, “Keep that thing away from me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you think you're doing bringing that in here?” yelled John. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara yelled “Put it down. You're covered in blood!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ian stared at this newcomer “You crazy son of a -”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko fireballed out of his mouth and then the room went silent at last. “Thank you for such a warm welcome, but I have had enough of this secret bullshit,” he spoke and dumped the creature on the floor which everyone could now see was tied up. He stalked towards John with burning eyes,“I broke into the port and persuaded some of the port staff to tell me about the park. What they told me wasn't good and quite frankly disturbing. You lied to us and are completely dishonorable towards nature. All of this should be destroyed.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A flame appeared in his hand and he lunged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With no time to think, Katara lept and knocked Zuko aside with a water whip and rolled to stand in front of John. “Zuko stop!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone dove out of the way as Zuko sent fire blasts towards John as pure rage rolled off of him and Katara blocked or swept them away but she was running out of water.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka lept for the bottled water and unscrewed the cap, throwing them at her to top up as he slowly made his way behind Zuko. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara captured Zuko’s arms and froze them, giving Sokka the chance to grab him from behind where he struggled and thrashed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He broke free and shot lightning, only for Katara to grab his arm so the lightning didn’t hit John but the roof instead which crashed down onto the computers and the whole room went dark. There were several shouts but Katara couldn't focus on that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With water wrapping her hands, Katara quickly grabbed Zuko’s temple after Sokka tackled him to the ground and his struggles finally stopped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka looked around Zuko and Katara to ask John, “What don’t we know. I can - I can tell when people are lying,” he lied.   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah John,” Ian’s voice spoke through the darkness. “Anything else you failed to mention.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara could just make out John who looked terrified as his eyes darted around the room and his face was as white as his shirt. Instead of answering any of their questions, he bolted out of the room!</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang had successfully led the group out of the woods which was great because now they could see further than an air blast would lose its power.  Instead there were hills and valleys blanketed in grass which was much more to Aang's liking. He could feel the breeze on his bald head, see the open sky and decided to follow the air currents, from the ground rather than from the air, seems he didn't bring his glider. It as pretty stupid of him to not bring it but there wasn’t much to be done about it now. However, the glider that was left behind was not the only thing that was troubling him. His head was pounding with the amount of thinking he was doing. He wished he could talk to the others about his problem but he was afraid of what they might say.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Toph shouted, “There's something coming, a lot of things coming this way!” and she pointed in the general direction, which was hidden by the crest of a hill. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you talking about? I can’t see anything!” Tim complained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We need to find some cover or we are going to be trampled on,” Aang said, who could also sense the vibrations through his feet. He looked around him to realise that the only cover was back where they came from and there just wasn't enough time, they could now hear the thundering of many feet. “Ok forget that, everyone get behind me and Toph. Toph we are going to have to do your favourite thing!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone moved into position Aang ready in a crouch but Toph frowned for a moment and then a grin spread across her face, “Yes lets break some stupid rules!” and without any further warning, she jerked her arms and legs around and a massive shield rose out of the ground, just as a load of thundering feet parted around them, revealed to be two legged naked flightless dragons with long necks and small heads.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang turned to Toph as he stood up, “Toph, I didn't mean earthbending. I meant that we should ride these things out of here.  We could have traveled a lot faster on those, did you see the speed they were going!”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“WHAT!” Toph shouted. “You said, we need to find cover. Well we can make some cover, you idiot! Then you said that we were going to have to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>my favorite thing!</span>
  </em>
  <span> That's earthbending and breaking rules!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But!” Aang didn’t get a chance to say anything else and the others were just staring at the pair’s shouting match. Not that it was much of a match. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Since when is riding animals my favourite thing? I don’t like riding animals let alone leaving the ground where I can’t see. If that is what you wanted then you should just say, let's ride these things, name them and give them cuddles in thanks for not eating us!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I panicked! I'm sorry but I kind of meant the opposite of what you like doing, like joking?” Aang cried. “It wasn't like we had a lot of time and Sokka is not here to tell us what to do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You love digging holes for yourself don’t you?” Toph gaped at him. “Wait! Your blaming your stupid idea on Sokka not being here! Is that what we all are to you? An instruction manual!” she yelled, shocking everyone further. “ even I would know that Sokka would tell everyone to run! It was the logical thing to do if not earthbending! You have to make your own choices Aang and in return not make it for others when you know how uncomfortable they are with it! You can’t just assume that everyone is fine with riding animals or coming here in the first place. I felt Katara's heartbeat when you was convincing her to come. It was shameful of you to do that to her!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang gasped and fell to his knees, “I didn't even realise.” The ground continued to shake around them as the animals kept pounding past. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That's because danger is fun to the likes of you and me, Aang, though both of our danger preferences are quite different. Other people want to avoid danger. Surely I don't have to tell you, of all people that it is your job to look after other people, not only yourself! You saved our world only to risk it all in another!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Did she not realise how infuriating she was being? Aang had had enough! Standing up, Aang yelled back, “Look who's talking. You were always the one looking out for yourself and It was Katara asking you to help out!”   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I WAS BEING A REBEL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, HAVING HAD MY FIRST TASTE OF FREEDOM IN 12 YEARS!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>How dare she say those things. How dare she bring other people into it. How dare she think that she knows the Avatars responsibilities and compare her upbringing with his life long responsibilities to the world. Had he not just been reminded that his people were wiped out! Why couldn't he have some fun and work at the same time?  Couldn't he have some time off too, or would he have to die first. Oh wait, no. When he died he would still have to work, strengthening the new Avatar and giving great words of wisdom. Aang didn't feel very wise at the moment.      </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang gritted his teeth as he spun away from them all, feeling his emotions boil. Then he felt it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He felt the feeling of being drawn away from his body, like being peeled or sucked out but it felt wrong, like there was no tether to where he was going. All he saw was a terrifying blackness and emptiness. Aang yelled out fighting against the darkness and begging to be returned to his body but he continued to rise surrounded by nothing. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So there is actually a poem about the moment the lawyer dies on the toilet. Check it out if you want a laugh. </p><p>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22202659</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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